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City H/^toT^ Club of 1Vew York, 
by Fra-n k IBer<geii KeUey, 
JYc>' (^. Fr^tiTice^' Tavern, 




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Digitized by tine Internet Archive 
in 2010 with funding from 
The Library of Congress 



http://www.archive.org/details/excursionplanned01kell 



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EXCURSION 

PLANNED FOR THE 

CITY HISTORY CLUB 



OF 



NEW YORK 



BY 



FRANK BERGEN KELLEY, A.M., Ph. D. 



PRICE, 5 CENTS. 
No. VI. 



Copyrighted by the City History Club of New York. 

1898. 



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EXCURSION No. VI. 

FRAUNCE5' Tavern, 

Corner of Broad and Pearl Streets. 




Former appearance of Fraunces' Tavern. 
From Todd's " Story of the City of New York." G. P. Putnam's Sons. 



Fraunces' Tavern is one of the oldest houses in New York Cit}', and 
has been the scene of many stirring events of Revolutionary days. It was 
built in 1730 by Etienne DeLancey, founder of the DeLancey family, on 
land conveyed to him by his father-in-law, Stephanus Van Cortlandt. 

[Memorial History of the City ol New York, Wilson, iv, 233. 

The house was originally of the Anglo-Dutch type, with two stories, 
and a double pitched roof as represented in the accompanying cut. It was 
constructed of small yellow Holland bricks. 

[Wilson, ii, 450-1. • 

The building still stands on the old site, corner of Pearl and Broad 
Streets, and is yet called Fraunces' Tavern, but a fifth story and fiat 
roof have been added, changing considerably the outward appearance of 
the building. 

***:.: Gift 

Author 



It was purchased and opened as a tavern about 1762 by SamFraunces, 
called " Black Sam," from his swarthy appearance, as he was a West India 
Creole. 

[Wilson, iv, 233. 

It was designated at various times the "Queen's Head "and "Bolton 
and Sigel's," but it is now known by its original name. 

In the Long Room of this Tavern was organized (April 8, 1768), the 
New York Chamber of Commerce, the oldest Mercantile Association in 
America. 

[Wilson, ii, 390. 

Several meetings were held here early in 1769 to consider the passage 
of a second non-importation agreement. 

[Wilson, ii, 391, 397. 

Five years later, on the 14th of May, 1774, a meeting of merchants 
was held at Fraunces' Tavern to organize the famous "Committee of 
Correspondence " to whose firm and consistent adherence to the idea of 
union the Continental Congress owed its origin. 

[Wilson, ii, 434. 

The Social Club, composed of men like John Joy, Gouverneur Morris, 
R. R. Livingston and Morgan Lewis, made this their headquarters before 
the Revolution. 

[Wilson, ii, 474. 

The building was struck by a shot from the Asia, giving rise to the 
oft-quoted lines of Freneau : 

Scarce a broadside was ended till 'nother began again, 
By Jove ! It was nothing but fire away, Flanagan ! 
Some thought him saluting his Sallys and Nancys, 
'Till he drove a round shot through the roof of Sam Francis. 

("Wilson, ii, 475. 

But the most notable event in the history of Fraunces' Tavern was 
when George Washington, on the 4th of December, 1783, took farewell of 
his qfficers in the old Long Room. Sam Fraunces afierM^ards became the 
household steward of President Washington. 

[Wilson, iii, 562-567. 

Stone, in his History of New York, states (p. 231) that the Governors 
•of the New York Hospital met here quite frequently. 

Thus, few buildings, certainly no other house now standing in New 
York, can claim so much of historic interest as does the ancient edifice on 
Broad and Pearl Streets, almost opposite the site of the first City Hall of 
New Amsterdam. 

See " The Landmark of Fraunces' Tavern " pub. by the "Woman's 
Auxiliary to the Soc. for the Preservation of Scenic and Historic Places and 
Objects.'. Mrs. V. P. Humason, 574 Palisade avenue, Yonkers, N. Y. 




OBJECT.—" The City History Club has for its object the study of 
the history of the City of New York, in the hope of awakening an interest 
in its traditions and in the possibilities of its future, such educational work 
being for the improvement, uplifting and civic betterment of the com- 
munity." 

HJST0RIC4L EXCURSIONS.—The Club is prepared to furnish a 
competent guide to points of historic interest,. 

LANTERN SLIDES AND LECTURKS.— Slides illustrating City His- 
tory may be hired at $2 per set, and Lecturers may be secured on appli- 
cation to the Corresponding Secretary. 

PUBLICATIONS.-Syllabus of a Course of Study on the History of 
New York with suggestive questions on the Dutch Period. 10 cents. 

Bibliography of the Dutch Period, to cents. 

Syllabus of the English and Revolutionary Periods. 10 cents. Set of 
above three, 25 cents. 

City History Leaflet No. i, "An Early Excise Law," The Currency 
of New Amsterdam " (translations of early Dutch laws). 5 cents. 

" Graphic Views of Government " (to illustrate the relations of our 
National, State and City governments). 5 cents. 

City History Club Map of New York in-the English Period. 5 cents. 

Club Song, 5 cents. 

Historical Excursions. (5 cents each.) 

No. L City Hall and historical sites between Chambers and Wall 
Streets. 

No. II. Old Greenwich Village. 

No. HI. The Bowery and Stuyvesant's Home. 

No. IV. Central Park to Van Cortlandt Park. (Revised with Maps.) 

No. V. (Bicycle Excursion No. II.) McGown's Pass and upper Central 
Park. 

No. VI. Fraunces' Tavern. (Illustrated.) 

No. VII. Dutch New York, sites below Wall Street. (2 maps.) A 
set of all the above publications (except those marked "in preparation") 
will be mailed to any address on receipt of 50 cents. 

Club Game, 25 cents. 

ILLUSTRATIONS.-The Club publishes 45 small pictures of the 
famous men, buildings and historic events of local history. These are 
sold for 25 cents per set. 

The Club Year Book may be obtained on application to the Corre- 
sponding Secretary, 23 West 44th Street. 

H 9793 



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